


New Beginnings

by healing



Category: Tales of Xillia
Genre: Gen, M/M, Pre-Slash, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-23
Updated: 2013-08-23
Packaged: 2017-12-24 08:56:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/938054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/healing/pseuds/healing
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alvin is following his own path, just like the rest of them are.</p><p>And maybe that path doesn't involve Jude.</p>
            </blockquote>





	New Beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> Major spoilers for the end of the game.

Jude, Alvin, Rowen and Leia escort Elize back to Sharilton first, take her back to Driselle and turn around to leave, but before they go anywhere she bounds up to the four of them and throws her little arms around them in a huge hug, tears staining Jude's shirt when she tells them she loves them. Teepo hovers beside them and reminds them that they'll always be superpals, no matter what happens, and everyone laughs in agreement, Jude brushing his fingers though Elize's hair before Rowen ushers her back to Driselle's side and bids his farewell to her, as well. Driselle is holding up well — she has a handle on things here, and with Elize by her side again, things are going to be just fine.

Once they head off, Alvin can't help but turn and look back, and to his surprise Elize is staring right back at him, an unsure little smile curving her lips.

Alvin smiles back.

\---

Rowen decides to head to Kanbalar on his own, but not without looking at them with crinkled eyes that are unbearably fond and letting them know that their journey together has been a precious experience that he will never forget, an experience that changed him for the better, helped him grow. He thanks them for everything, for giving him the strength to battle his old demons, and then he's gone, Jude, Alvin and Leia watching him go with nostalgic smiles curving their lips.

They'll miss his wise advice and his stupid jokes and even his snoring at night keeping Alvin and Jude awake, but they know that they'll meet again soon, just as they know that they'll meet Elize again, too.

\---

Jude and Alvin escort Leia back to Leronde next, where she promises Jude that she'll see him again before they know it, that she'll keep in touch, she'll write him more letters — _and you'd better respond this time, you hear me?_ — and she'll bring him her special curry and they'll eat it together just like old times.

Leia turns to Alvin then, leaning in uncomfortably close, and Alvin has no idea what to anticipate (a slap in the face, maybe — it'd be well-deserved, he thinks) but Leia just whispers, "By the way? All is forgiven!" and winks at him.

And just like that she's off, running up to her parents with her arms outstretched and jumping into her father's arms like she's a little girl again. Jude makes sure to stop by the clinic afterward and say his goodbyes to his own parents, Alvin hanging around and waiting outside, not really wanting to interrupt and not particularly interesting in seeing Derrick. Jude tells them that he's going back to med school, and that this time, they won't see him again until he's a real doctor. His mom tears up and wraps him up into a warm hug, and his dad refuses to meet Jude's gaze when he tells him he's proud of him, that he's finally growing into an adult, and then Jude tears up, too, because he never expected to hear those words come out of his father's mouth. He didn't think it would be so hard to leave Leronde again, but Alvin is still with him, and it helps. It helps a lot more than he thinks it should.

\---

Alvin is the last one to leave. Jude isn't quite sure why — he could have easily left earlier, headed off to Xian Du by himself, but he'd stayed with them the entire way, always sticking by Jude's side. Jude asks if he can tag along to Xian Du with him, get one last look at it before heading back to Fennmont, and Alvin wraps an arm around his shoulder and says, "Let's go, kid."

The journey ahead is long, but they've always fought well together, side by side and back to back. Jude is almost surprised by how... _okay_ it feels when it's just the two of them. Back in the beginning, Milla had always been there, and even when the group had been separated after Fezebel Marsh, they'd had Elize and Muzet with them, too. They've never traveled alone like this, but Jude doesn't mind it at all. Alvin is as teasing as he always is but Jude knows that there's been an honest change in him, too, and it makes him happy. _Jude_ is happy.

Things only start to feel a little strange when they're just a night's rest away from Xian Du. They share a room at a nearby inn like they usually do, just one bed because that's all they can afford with the meager amount of gald split between them, but neither of them talk much, nor do they manage to get much sleep, resting back to back in uncomfortable silence. Jude almost hopes that Alvin will draw him in and tuck him against his side, but he doesn't, and Jude knows that, come morning, there will be no reason for him to tag along anymore. Alvin will be gone, and he'll be the only one left.

\---

"So I... I guess this is goodbye," Jude says when Alvin is gathering up the few things he has the next morning, turning to face him. Jude is twiddling his thumbs and Alvin's piercing gaze is so intense that he has to look away, breaking eye contact and staring down at the floor, instead.

And then suddenly, he's backed up against the nearest wall, Alvin's hand pressed beside his head. He doesn't say anything. Alvin doesn't say anything. But Jude's heart is racing and his cheeks are warm and Jude isn't quite sure what he's anticipating, but it's something, something important, and whatever it is, he thinks he's okay with it. He knows he's okay with it.

Alvin leans in closer, and Jude closes his eyes and gulps, heartbeat quickening and thrumming in his ears. He's thought about this moment so many times over the course of their journey, so many times that up until now he had refused to acknowledge it even to himself. He'd wondered what it'd feel like. He'd wonder if Alvin has wondered, too. All those times Alvin had pulled him in close, all those times when they could only afford two inn rooms with two beds (Elize always shared with either Milla or Leia, finding comfort in clinging onto someone while she slept) and Jude had woken up with Alvin's arm wrapped tight around him in what almost seemed like a protective embrace. All those times their eyes had met and Alvin had looked at him like he'd wanted to say something, like the world was on his shoulders, Jude's eyes flickering as he waited, but he didn't. He never did.

Maybe this is it. Maybe Alvin is finally going to close the minute distance between them, give Jude what he doesn't want to admit he's been hoping for. Maybe he's —

But their lips don't meet. Alvin's hand never moves from the wall, never moves to press against his chest or cup his cheek. He doesn't lean in any closer than he already is. But his breath tickles Jude's ear when he says, "Thanks."

And then he's gone, out the door, and Jude is left standing there with wide eyes and parted lips, his heart still beating hard in his chest, hands clenched into tight fists.

And suddenly, Jude feels stupid. He feels so damn _stupid_ — why would Alvin...? How could Jude ever think that something like that could ever happen? Alvin kissing him? There isn't anything like that between them. There never will be. Alvin was always just playing around, teasing him and trying to get a rise out of him like he's done so many times in the past, he'd never actually go as far as...

There's a palpable ache in his chest but Jude ignores it, swallows it down with a thick gulp and begins to gather up his own belongings instead. He's not alone. Somewhere, Milla is looking down on him, and somewhere, Elize is smiling and laughing and growing into the child she never had the chance to be, and somewhere, maybe Rowen is brewing that tea that he loves so much, and somewhere, Leia is running around at the inn and shattering dish after dish, and right outside that door, Alvin is... Alvin is Alvin. Alvin is following his own path, just like the rest of them are.

And maybe that path doesn't involve Jude.

\---

Leia isn't the only one who keeps in touch. Her handwriting is still practically unreadable but he somehow manages to make out her excited stories about working at the inn. Elize tells him all about her new school and her new friends, and Rowen tells him about the classes he's teaching, his letters written on the fanciest stationary Jude has ever seen.

Jude doesn't expect Alvin to write, too. But he does. He's starting a business, a partnership with Yurgen, and he seems pretty pleased about it. It's rare, to see Alvin so enthusiastic about something. Jude isn't sure he has before. His heart swells with every word he drinks in. He's happy for him.

Alvin's latest letter is brief, just a quick update, but there's a scribble written below his signature and Jude has to squint to make it out.

_See you soon._


End file.
